Inflatable life saving device



J'uEy 26, 1960 .1. w STONER INFLATABLE LIFE SAVING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1954 %N KN m6 NN g N.\ KN I NM 8 WN o I I m I y I I k. w m m n h l 1 /.||I I II m L \m W no V w a 4 a 1 ,6

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8 WI Uu J06 BY July 26, 1960 J. w. STONER INFLATABLE LIFE SAVING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1954 INVENTOR.

Joseph WJtoner,

BY fills Attorney INFLATABLE LIFE SAVING DEVICE Joseph Warren Stoner, 1714 Eastern Parkway, Schenectady, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 25, 1954, Ser. No. 412,617

Claims. (Cl. 222-'5) My invention relates to flotation apparatus for floating articles or persons on liquids, and more particularly to inflatable life-saving devices.

In conventional inflatable life-saving devices, the inflating system is generally manually energized by the conscious act of the drowning person or automatically energized by water pressure or by the dissolving action of the water upon a soluble member. Manually energizable devices have not, however, proven very effective in preventing drownings because the drowning person often becomes panicky and either forgets to try to energize the inflating system or forgets how to do so. Automatically energized devices have likewise heretofore proven to be only partially eflective, principally because the automatic energizing systems were not powerful enough or reliable enough in their control action always to produce infla- Unite tates PatentO tion of the inflatable member, for example, under widely different conditions of water turbidity or temperature or after long periods of non-use. The problem of adequate power and reliability in the control action of the inflation energizing apparatus is particularly diificult of solution where a slight water pressure corresponding to a depth of only a few feet is employed to trigger the apparatus. This is because the inflation energizing apparatus must somehow mechanically amplify this slight water pressure into a force many times greater than the force of such water pressure; and all preferably within a device of limited size, for example, less than a few inches in any dimension. Moreover, the control mechanism must be insensitive to normal vibration and rough handling. The problem of unreliability after long periods of non-use is particularly evident if hygroscopic gas evolving materials such as calcium carbide crystals are used to release the inflating gas. If capsules of compressed gas, such as compressed carbon dioxide, are substituted for such hygroscopic gas evolving materials, conventional such as may often occur in the normal use of life-saving equipment.

-A further object of the invention is to provide automatic inflation energizing apparatus which may utilize a compressed gas capsule as its inflating gas producing component without danger that the capsule rupturing member will freeze to the ruptured opening and thus prevent the escape of the gas into the inflatable member,

A still further object is to provide an inflation energizing device which may also be energized manually as well as automatically and which may be easily reset for reuse. In fulfillment of this latter object, it is another object of my invention to provide an energy storing element for propelling the rupture member with a cocking mechanism and utilize the same manually operable mechanism both to reset the cocking mechanism while storing energy in the energy storing element and to independently energize the device.

In general, the flotation apparatus embodying the invention comprises an inflation energizing device including a member for rupturing a fluid filled container of a gas producing component of the flotation apparatus, and means for propelling this rupture member at high velocity through a cycle of reciprocating motion, whereby the rupture member momentarily strikes and ruptures the fluid filled container with tremendous force and then immediately rebounds. In accord with further features of the invention a cocking mechanism is provided for initially restraining the propulsion means for the rupture member and a fluid pressure sensitive element is arranged to operate upon the cocking mechanism at a predetermined fluid pressure in order to release the propulsion means.

In one embodiment of the invention the rupture memher is propelled through its reciprocating cycle by a high velocity projectile. In another embodiment, the rupture member is propelled through its reciprocating cycle by articulated mechanical linkage preferably including a toggle joint. Where it is desired that the apparatus should not automatically inflate during brief immersions in deep water such as occur during a brief dive, means are also included for delaying the operative response of the fluid pressure sensitive element to a sudden change in fluid pressure.

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention automatic energizing systems are not always effective in 7 rupturing the capsule because the extreme reduction in temperature attendant upon the adiabatic expansion of the compressed gas escaping from the capsule often causes the ruptured member quickly to freeze to the capsule and thereby to close the opening through which the gas is escaping. 7

Accordingly, one object of my invention is to provide an inflatable life-saving device having unusually powerful and reliable inflation energizing apparatus. 4

Another object of my invention is to provide automatic inflation energizing apparatus which is small and com.- pact, yet rugged enough to withstand rough handling without damage.

An additional object is to provide unusually powerful and reliable inflation energizing apparatus which operates in response to the application thereto of a relaerative when subjected to moderate vibration or shock itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of life saving apparatus embody ing the invention and illustrating one manner of attaching an inflation energizing device of the invention to an inflatable member such as an inflatable life jacket; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional side view of the inflation energizing device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another or front view of the inflation energiz ing device of Fig. l partly sectional along line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is yet another partly sectional view of the in- '1 flation energizing device of Fig. 1 taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the cocking mechanism of the device of Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 6 is a side view, partly in section, of an alterna-i 1 tive high sensitivity cocking mechanism which may be sub-j stituted for the cocking mechanism of Fig. 2 in the inflation energizing device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in section, of another life a saving apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 8 is a top view of the inflation energizing device of the apparatus of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the articulated mechanical linkage of the device of Fig. 7 taken along line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. is a cross-sectional view of the linkage and propulsion mechanism of the device of Fig. 7, taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is an exploded view of the articulated mechanical linkage, propulsion mechanism, and housing therefor helping in describing the assembly of the device of Fig. 7. In the drawings, corresponding components are designated by the same reference numeral.

Referring to Figs. 1-5, flotation life-saving apparatus 10 embodying one form of the invention is shown in conjunction with an inflating means comprising a capsule 11 and an inflation energizing device 12. Capsule 11 is filled with a suitable gas such as carbon dioxide under considerable pressure and removably attached to one end of inflation energizing device 12 by insertion within a threaded receptacle 13 of device 12 as shown in Fig. 2. A resilient O-ring 14 is provided within receptacle 12 and bears against the upper neck portion 15 of capsule 11 to prevent gas emitted from the top membrane 16 of capsule 11 from escaping out of apparatus 10 between the walls of capsule 11 and the receptacle 13. An outlet fluid conduit 17 extends laterally within device 12 from the upper end of capsule receptacle 13 to a chamber 18 to which any suitable inflatable member 19 such as a latex balloon or rubberized life jacket may be attached through gas inlet tube '20, best seen in Fig. 3. Rupture of membrane 16 of capsule 11 thus allows the compressed gas within capsule 11 to flow freely and rapidly into the inflatable member 19.

In accord with the invention means are provided within the inflation energizing device 12 for rupturing membrane 16 and for moving the rupturing member through a cycle of reciprocating motion whereby it plunges through membrane 16 and then immediately completely Withdraws. In device 12 a rupture member 21 is moved through such a cycle of reciprocating motion either manually as a result of the impact of a manually operable piston rod 22 or automatically as a result of the impact of a projectile 23 propelled against rupture member 21 by the force of a strong spring 24 or other suitable en ergy storing element When the projectile 23 is released from the restraining influence of a cocking mechanism 25 in response to a fluid pressure of predetermined magnitude applied to a triggering fluid pressure sensitive element 26. More specifically, in the apparatus 10 of Figs. 1-5, a cylinder 27 is provided having an axial bore 28 opening into a cylindrical axial passageway 29 of smaller diameter communicating between bore 28 and the upper or internal end of receptacle 13. A rupture member 21 with a pointed puncture element 30 at its lower end is inserted as a slidable fit within passageway 29. A re silient washer 31 surrounds the lower end of rupture member 21 above puncture element 30 and bears against the wall of passageway 29 to serve as a gas seal. A disk 32 is attached to or formed integral with the upper por tion of rupture member 21, and has a diameter slightly smaller than bore 28 so as to ride as a free fit therein. A plurality of small holes 33 are formed in disk 32 near the circumference thereof to permit the easy flow ofair between opposite sides of disk 32 upon an axial movement of the disk.

. Rupture member 21 is mounted upon a resilient support shown in Fig. 2 as a light weight helical spring 34 bearing against the under surface of the radially extending portion of disk 32 and maintained in proper position within an annular recess 35 concentric with passageway 29. Spring 34 biases the rupture member 21 to a predetermined position and thereby maintains disk 32 in a slightly elevated spaced relation to an internal shoulder 36 of cylinder 27, which shoulder serves to arrest and 1.? limit an axial movement of disk 32 and rupture member 21 in the direction of receptacle 13.

When the inflation energizing apparatus 12 is in the cocked position illustrated in Fig. 2, the upper surface of disk 32 bears against or is very slightly spaced from a nut 37 on the lower end of piston rod 22 which rod extends along the axis of bore 28 and a registering axial bore 38 of an upper cylinder 39 threaded to the top of cylinder 27. A link 46 is pivotally connected at one end to the top of piston rod 22 and is pivotally connected at its other end to an ofi-axis point 41 on a lever 42. Lever 42 is pivoted on a pivot pin 43 located along the axis of the apparatus 12 in spaced relation to the top of piston rod 22 and has a manually operable lever arm 44 extending beyond the circumference of cylinder 39 on the side of pivot pin 43 opposite to that of the linkage pivot point 41. Lever arm 44 is preferably curved downward as shown, to bear against the outer surface of cylinder 39 in order both to minimize the possibility of ac.- cidental movement of the arm and to determine the upper limit of the position of rupture member 21 within bore 28; it being appreciated that the upward force of spring 34 may be transmitted through disk 32, piston rod 22, and link 40 to lever 42. As will be more fully explained hereinafter, the linkage comprising lever 44, link 40 and piston rod 22 functions both to enable a manual propulsion of rupture member 21 to rupture the compressed gas capsule 11 and also to enable a manual reset of the automatic propulsion cocking mechanism 25 while at the same time storing energy in the spring 24.

The components of inflation energizing apparatus 12 for automatically propelling rupture member 21 through a cycle of reciprocating motion upon immersion below a predetermined depth of water comprise projectile 23, spring 24, cocking mechanism 25 and fluid pressure sensitive element 26. Projectile 23 is a tubular member surrounding piston rod 22 and freely slidahle within bore 28. It has a lower upwardly extending cylindrical cavity 45 having a diameter larger than that of nut 37 and an upper cylindrical cavity 46 which accommodates the lower end of helical spring 24. The upper end of spring 24 is fixedly positioned within an upwardly extending cylindrical cavity 47 formed in the lower end of cylinder 39. Spring 24 has a length when fully extended slightly less than the distance from the top of cavity 47 to the bottom of cavity 46 when projectile 23 is resting upon disk 32. It is preferably a powerful spring capable, for example, of exerting a force of the order of 75 pounds when under compression as shown.

Cooking mechanism 25 is housed within a rectangular chamber 48 laterally projecting from cylinder 27 and includes a release lever 50 and a trigger 51 best seen in Fig. 5. Cooking arm 49 is pivoted at its upper end on pin 52 and has a cocking ledge 53 projecting above projectile 23 and a restraining ledge 54 projecting below projectile 23. Release lever 50 is pivoted on pin 55 and, in its cocked position, has oneend bearing against the lower edge portion of cocking arm 49 under the force of a very light spring 56 so as to-prevent its rotation under the downward force exerted by spring 24 on pro: jectile 23. The other end of release lever 50 is attached to trigger 51 and is biased to engage stop 50:: by the outwardly projecting force of a spring 57 which is supported upon a split ring partition 56 within a cylinder 59 and bears against the remote end 60 of trigger 51, as best seen in Figs. 2. 3, and 4.

Cemented to end 69 of trigger 51 and tending to exert a lateral force thereon in a direction opposite to that exerted by spring 57 is a resilient diaphragm 61 of a bellows type fluid pressure sensing element 26. Diaphragm 61 is divided into two fluid filled sections 62 and 63 by a supporting partition 64 which has a central opening 65 permitting fluid flow between the two sections. If a time delay is desired before an external fluid pres: sure applied to section 62 of diaphragm 61 is transmitted tosection 63, central opening 65 is made of small di ameter so as to restrict the rate of flow of fluid therethrough to a value commensurate with the desired time delay. A reduction in sensitivity to vibration as well as a slight timedelay is also accomplished by allowing a region of lost motion in the neck 66 of the trigger connection to release lever 50.

The pressure sensing element 26 is maintained in a proper position covering the mouth of cylinder 59 by a protective cover 67 threaded to the end of cylinder 53 and containing a plurality of apertures 63 to permit the flow of fluid against section 62 of flexible diaphragm 61.

It will be appreciated from the above description of cocking mechanism 25 that shock-type or vibrational forces which act upon cocking arm 49 release arm 50 and trigger 51 in directions parallel to the axis of the inflation energizing device 12 will have little tendency to affect the cocked position of the mechanism or to release projectile 23. Only those forces which act upon cocking mechanism 25 in directions substantially perpendicular to the axis of device 12 have any appreciable tendency to induce movement of cocking arm 49 and 7 permit the release of projectile 23. Such perpendicular forces must, however, be equal to the force exerted by diaphragm 61 upon trigger 50 as a result of an applied external fluid pressure suflicient to release cocking arm 49. Since trigger 51 is resiliently mounted, both by virtue of spring 57 and flexible diaphragm 61 and has the added cushion of the lost motion connection 66, shock type vibrations of the entire apparatus 10, even in directions perpendicular to the axis thereof, are not easily transmitted to the release lever 50. Consequently, the inflation energizing device 12 is practically immune from energization by minor spurious shocks or vibrations such as may occur during normal use of such life-saving equipment.

The fluid pressure which must be applied to diaphragm 61 in order to energize cocking mechanism 25 and to release projectile 23 must be sufficient to overcome the force which spring 57 exerts upon trigger 51 in a radially outward direction as well as the excess of force exerted in one direction by spring 56 on release lever 56 over that exerted in an opposite direction by projectile 23 under the force of main spring 24. These forces are quite substantial despite the use of levers 49 and G with the result that, as a practical matter, the cocking mechanism 25 may be reliably energized only by fluid pressures applied against diaphragm 61 greater than 2 pounds per square inch, corresponding to a water depth greater than 4 feet.

Where it is desired to actuate the inflation energizing device 12 with fluid pressures less than 2 pounds per square inch, corresponding to water depths less than 4 feet, a more sensitive cocking mechanism 76, illustrated in Fig. 6, is preferably substituted for the cooking mechanism 25 of Figs. 1-5. Sensitive cocking mechanism 70 comprises a cocking arm 71, a first release lever 72, and a trigger lever 73, one end of which has a projecting ledge 74 under which one end of release lever 72 may be cocked. Two interacting resetting arms 75 and 76 journalled onthe pivots of cocking arm '71 and trigger lever 73-respectively, are provided for impelling both the cooking arm 71 and the release lever 72 into their respective cocked positions, in a manner more fully to be described hereinafter. Wire springs 77 and 79 are respectively arranged to bias cocking arm 71 and trigger lever 73 into their cocked positions. Spring 78 serves to bias therelease lever 72 to its released position. An actuating pinv 80 is substituted for trigger 51 of cocking mechanism 75. r

' In the operation of life-saving apparatus 16 of Figs. 15,the inflation energizing device 12 is first manually set into its automatic cocked position by rot-atably elevatinglever ,arm 44 of lever 42 to its maximum height and then forcing the arm 44 back to its normal position against the side of cylinder 39 all while receptacle 13 is empty, in other words, before capsule 11 is threaded within the receptacle 13 or while capsule 11 is intentionally withdrawn from the receptacle. During the ini-' tial few degrees of elevation of arm 44 rupture member 21 is forced by the consequent movement of the toggle joint comprising link 40 and piston rod 22 through a downward cycle of reciprocating motion which would puncture the top membrane 16 of capsule 11 if the capsule was fully threaded within receptacle 13. During the further elevation of arm 44, piston rod 22 is raised until nut 37 meets the under surface of projectile 23 and carries the projectile 23 upward against the force of spring 24 thereby storing energy therein. As projectile 23 is elevated it bears against ledge 53 of cocking arm 49, thereby rotating cocking arm 49 until restraining ledge 54' extends beneath projectile 23 and release lever 50 is pivoted into its cocking arm restraining position under the force of spring 56. v

If the more sensitive cocking mechanism 70 of Fig. 6 is substituted for cooking mechanism 25 of Figs. 15, the elevation of projectile 23 enforces rotation of interacting reset arms 75 and 76 which move cocking arm 71 and release lever 72 into their respective cocked positions. This is accomplished when projectile 23 is moved into engagement with ledge 53 to rotate reset arm 75 and thereby rotate reset-arm 76 to engage the pin 76a car ried thereby with release lever 72- and enforce the rotation of lever 72 into its cocked position as shown in Fig. 6 against the bias of spring 78.

When resetting lever arm 44 is lowered back to its normal position, rupture member is once again moved through a downward cycle of reciprocating motion by the reciprocation of piston rod 22, but since capsule 11 is not within receptacle 13, this has no effect. Projectile, 23

is restrained from downward propulsion under the forceof spring 24 by cocking arm 49 of mechanism 25 or cocking arm 71 of mechanism 70.

Capsule 11 is then threaded within receptacle 13 and the life-saving apparatus 10 is prepared for manual or automatic energization. Manual energization is simply accomplished by again elevating lever arm 44 of lever 42 which, as described above, drives rupture member 21 through a downward cycle of reciprocating motion which ruptures the top membrane 16 of capsule 11 and allows the compressed gas within the capsule to escape through conduit 17 into inflatable member 19. Automatic energization is accomplished whenever the fluid pressure applied to the external surface of diaphragm 61 is sufii-:'

cient to trigger the cocking mechanisms 25 or 70 and thus release projectile 23 to strike rupture member 21' with great force and at high velocity under the propulsion of spring 24. Upon striking rupture member 21, projectile 23 recoils and rupture member 21 is propelled with correspondingly great force and high velocity= through a downward cycle of reciprocating motion and then returns to a normal resting position with puncture element 21 in slightly elevated spaced relation to the upper surface of ruptured membrane 16 as a result of the upward biasing force of spring 34. Since the extended length of main spring 24 is made less than the distance from the top of cavity 47 to the top of the released pro jectile 23 when the projectile strikes disk 32, the spring 24 does not prevent the recoil of projectile 23 or the rebound of rupture member 21 under the upward force of spring 34. Membrane 16 of capsule 11, is thus ruptured by rupture member 21 and the compressed gas within: capsule freely spurts without restriction into the inflatable member 19 through conduit 17.

Referring now to Figs. 7-l1, I have shown another in-' flation energizing device for life saving apparatus emtoggle joint 89 (best seen in Fig. 9). More specifically, device 85 is shown in its cocked position and comprises a generally cylindrical elongated housing 90 with a capsulesnpporting receptacle 91 similar to receptacle 13 of Fig. 1 at one end. A first axially extending cylindrical bore 92 accommodating rupture member 86 opens at its lower end into receptacle 91 and opens at its upper end into a widened chamber 93' of an inner cylindrical housing 94 best seen in Fig. 11. Chamber 93 accommodates toggle joint 89 which reciprocates rupture member 86. Housing 94 also defines another chamber 95 having a thin rectangular section 96 which accommodates a circular gear 97 and a larger cylindrical section 98 which accommodates an actuating rod 99. Rod 99'has a rack 100 projecting from its lower end to engage gear 97 and form gear train 88. Gear 97 and toggle 89 are fixedly mounted on the same axle 101 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted within bearing surfaces 102 of housing 94.

Axially extending from the cylindrical section 98 of chamber 95 and alongside bore 92 is a second cylindrical bore 103 of housing 90 which accommodates spring 87. Spring 87 is compressed beneath a cup-shaped cocking collar 104 which rides as a free fit within bore 98 and surrounds the lower end of actuating rod 99. An axially extending slot 105 in the wall of collar 104 accommodates and guides the axial movement of rack 100 on rod 99. Collar member 104 also contains an axial project-ion or key 6 extending within a key way 107 recessed within the irmer wall of housing 90. Key 106 functions both to reset the cocking mechanism of the device 85 as well as to cock collar 104 so as to restrain spring 87 in its compressed condition when the device 85 is cooked for automatic energization.

Actuating rod 99 has its upper end slidably extending through a fluid tight seal 108 out of the top of housing 90. Rod 99 is arranged to be forced downward or upward into its cocked or released positions respectively by means of a manually operable lever 109 hinged at one end on a hinge pin 110 extending between a pair of hinge brackets 111. Lever 109 lies within a slot 112 formed in the top of actuating rod 99 and beneath a pin 113 extending across slot 112. Lever 109 also contains an upwardly curved hook 115 which partially encircles pin 113 to enable rod 99 to be elevated or depressed into its cocked or released positions by rotation of lever 109'.

The cocking mechanism of the device 85 may be identical with the cooking mechanism 25 shown in Figs. 1-5 or the more sensitive cocking mechanism 70 of Fig. 6 with the exceptions that the. various cocking arms and levers are mounted upside down relative to the direction of movement of the rupture member since spring 87 of device 85 exerts pressure in an opposite direction than that exerted by spring 24 of device 12.

In the operation of device 85, actuating rod 99 is first depressed with capsule 11 removed in order .to compress spring 87 and cock the cocking mechanism 25 by rotating lever 109 downward until key 106 of collar 104 strikes the, resetting ledge 53 of cocking arm 49 and resets the cooking mechanism 25. Collar 104 is then restrained beneath the restraining ledge 54 of cooking arm 49 and spring 87 is compressed beneath collar 104. Capsule 11 is then threaded within receptacle 91 and device 85 is ready for automatic or manual energization. In order to energize the inflating device 85- manually it is necessary only to elevate lever 109 again whereupon actuating rod 99 and rack 100 are similarly elevated.

The elevation of rack 100 causes rotation of gear 97, which rotary motion is transmitted by axle 101 to toggle 89. The resulting rotation of toggle 89 enforces a reciprocating motion of rupture member 36 to rupture membrane 16 of capsule 11.

Device 85 is automatically energized by the movement of cooking arm 4-9 to release collar 104 as a result of fluid pressure applied against pressure sensitive diaphragm 61 to trigger cocking mechanism 25 as described above in. c nn ct on ith de i e 12.- Whsn se ler .9 s. e eased it is shot upward at very high velocity'ancl with great force by spring 87 and carries actuating rod 99 and attached rack therewith. The resulting high velocity linear movement of rack 100 is transmitted and transformed by gear 97 and toggle 89 into a corresponding high velocity reciprocation of rupture member 86 which forcibly punctures capsule 11 and immediately completely withdraws as the toggle 89 is forcibly straightened and immediately unstraightened upon rotation of gear 97 by the rack 100.

It will thus be seen that I have provided life saving apparatus having an unusually powerful and reliable automatic inflation energizing device which also may be manually energized if desired and may be reset for repeated use. The rupture of the inflating gas producing component is accomplished at high velocity so that there is no possibility that rupture will not occur, and the rupture member is completely withdrawn immediately so that no freezing or sticking to the gas producing component can occur. The automatic energization of the apparatus results solely from an application of water or other fluid pressure and reliably occurs regardless of the cleanliness or turbidity of the fluid involved. In addition the cocking mechanism is constructed and arranged so that moderate vibration and shock does not actuate the automatic inflation system.

Although I have described my invention in connection with a fluid filled container in the form of a compressed gas capsule as the gas producing component, it will be appreciated that other gas producing components such as a combination of a rupturable water-filled container and adjacent calcium carbide crystals may be used instead. It is also to be understood that although I have described specific preferred embodiments of the invention, many modifications may be made and I intend by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable member comprising a gas producing component having a fluid filled container removably sealed therein and operative in response to the rupturing of said container, a rupture member, a manual operating lever and an energy storing element each having two-way propulsion means operable thereby for propelling said rupture member through a cycle of two-way reciprocating motion into and out of said container to rupture said container and enable the free escape of fluid from said rupture means including a cocking mechanismfor the energy storing element rendered effective upon a predetermined operation of the propulsion means by the manual operating lever for storing energy in the energy storing element while the container is removed, and means including a fluid pressure sensitive element for releasing the cooking mechanism to produce automatic propulsion of the rupture member by the energy storing element.

2. The inflating apparatus of claim 1 in which the means operated by the energy storing element for propelling said rupture member comprises a projectile constructed and arranged to strike said rupture member while travelling at high velocity.

3. The inflating apparatus of claim 1 in which the means operated by the manual operating lever for propelling said rupture member comprises a reciprocatory piston rod having the manually operable lever attached to said piston rod.

4. The inflating apparatus of claim 1 in which the means operated by both the manual operating lever and the energy storing element for propelling said rupture member comprises articulated mechanical linkage.

5. The inflating apparatus in claim 1 in which the energy storing element comprises a compressed spring arranged to enforce, upon release, a high velocity movement of said rupture member.

6 The inflating apparatus of claim 1 in which the fluid 9. pressure sensitive element operates in response to 'a fluid pressure corresponding to a depth of a few. feet of water.

7. In flotation apparatus, a rupture member, elastic means biasing the rupture member to a predetermined position, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including an energy storing element having a projectile transmitting energy therefrom for propelling said rupture member from its biased position with great force and high velocity through a two-way reciprocatory cycle into and out of the supported container, and means including a manually movable member having connections efiective upon a predetermined movement of the member for propelling the rupture member into and out of a supported container independently of the energy storing element and efiective upon another predetermined movement of the manually movable member for storing energy in the energy storing element. V

8. Inflation energizing apparatus comprising a rupture member, elastic means biasing the rupture member to a predetermined position, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including an energy storing element having a projectile transmitting energy therefrom for propelling said rupture member at high velocity through a reverse reciprocatory cycle into and out of a supported container, a cocking mechanism for restraining the projectile, fluid pressure sensitive means operating upon said cocking mechanism to release said projectile in response to an applied fluid pressure, and means including a manually movable member having connections eflective upon a predetermined movement of the member for propelling the rupture member into and out of a supported container independently of the energy storing element and eiiective upon another predetermined movement of the manually movable member for storing energy in the energy storing element while the container is removed.

9. In flotation apparatus, a rupture member, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including a fluid pressure sensitive element and an energy storing element having a cocking mechanism releasable by the pressure sensitive element for propelling said rupture member through a two-way reciprocating cycle into and out of a supported container in response to an applied fluid pressure, and manually operable mechanical means for storing energy in said energy storing element and resetting said cocking mechanism and independently propelling said rupture member through said reciprocating cycle.

10. An inflation energizing device comprising a rupture member, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including an energy storing element for propelling said rupture member into said container, a cocking mechanism for restraining the operation of said energy storing element, a fluid pressure sensitive element operative on said cocking mechanism to release said energy storing element in response to an applied fluid pressure, and a manually movable lever having mechanical connections constructed and arranged to store energy in said energy storing element and cock said cocking mechanism by movement in one direction and to propel said rupture member into said container independently of the release of the energy storing element upon another predetermined movement of the lever.

11. An inflation energizing device comprising a rupture member, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including an energy storing element for propelling said rupture member into a supported container, a cocking mechanism for restraining the operation of said energy storing element, fluid pressure sensitive means operative upon said cocking mechanism to release said energy storing element, means for delaying the operative response of said fluid pressure sensitive means to an applied fluid pressure and manually operable mechanical means for storing energy in the energy storing element and resetting the cocking mechrupture member, cocking means for restraining said pro-- jectile against the force of said resilient means, automatic condition responsive means operating upon said cocking means for releasing said projectile to move under the force of said resilient means, and means including a manually movable member having connections efiective upon a predetermined movement of the member for propelling the rupture member into and out of a sup-" ported container independently of the energy storing element and effective upon another predetermined movement of the manually movable member for storing energy in the energy storing element while the container is removed.

13. The inflation energizing device of claim 12 wherein the releasing means operating upon said cocking means comprises a fluid pressure sensitive diaphragm.

14. An inflation energizing device comprising a rupture,

member, resilient means biasing the rupture member to a predetermined position, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, a projectile having means releasably supporting the projectile for a predetermined relative movement towards the rupture member, and means effective only during the predetermined relative movement of the projectile towards the rupture member for projecting said projectile'with great force and at high velocity to strike and drive said rupture member into a supported container and thereby produce a rebound of the rupture member out of the container by said resilient biasing means.

15. An inflation energizing device comprising a rupture member, means for supporting a fluid filled container adjacent said rupture member, means including articulated mechanical linkage and a pressure exerting resilient member for propelling said rupture member at high velocity through a cycle of reciprocating motion under the force of said resilient member, a cooking mechanism for restraining movement of said linkage against the force of said resilient member, and fluid pressure sensitive means operative upon said cocking mechanism to release said articulated linkage to move under the force of said resilient member.

supported within said housing for slidable movement into said receptacle, an energy storing spring mechanism within said housing for propelling said rupture member into said receptacle, a cocking mechanism for releasably restraining said spring mechanism, and a pressure sensitive time delay diaphragm device covering an opening in a wall of said housing and having a lost motion connection operable with time delay upon said cocking mechanism for releasing said spring mechanism to propel said rupture member upon the application of a fluid pressure to said diaphragm device.

I l '18; An inflation energizing device comprising an elongated housing having a receptacle at one end for supporting a fluid filled container therein, a fluid outlet from said receptacle through the wall of said housing, an axial bore within said housing opening into said receptacle, a rupture member slidably mounted within said bore adjacent said receptacle, a projectile and a spring within said bore, said projectile being supported for propulsion by said spring toward said rupture member, an encased cocking mechanism secured to said housing and having a cocking arm for releasably restraining said projectile against the force of said spring, and a fluid pressure sensitive time delay diaphragm having a lost motion connection operative with time delay upon said cocking mechanism for releasing said cocking arm to release said projectile upon the application of a fluid pressure to said diaphragm.

19. An inflation energizing device comprising a housing having a receptacle in a wall thereof for supporting a fluid filled container therein, a rupture member supported within said housing for slidable movement into said receptacle, a toggle joint connected to said rupture member for reciprocating said rupture member upon a rotation of said toggle joint, a gear train and a spring within said housing, said gear train being operative upon said toggle joint for rotation thereof under the force of said spring, a cocking mechanism for releasably restraining said spring under compression, and a fluid pressure sensitive diaphragm covering an opening in the wall of said housing and operative upon said cocking mechanism for actuating said mechanism to release said spring upon the application of a fluid pressure to said diaphragm.

20. An inflation energizing device comprising an elongated housing having a receptacle at one end for supporting fluid filled container therein, a fluid outlet from said receptacle through the wall of said housing, a first axial bore within said housing opening into said receptacle, a rupture member, slidable within said first bore, a toggle joint connected to said rupture member for reciprocation thereof into and out of said receptacle, a second axial bore within said housing alongside said first bore, an actuating rod and a compressible spring operating upon said rod within said second bore, a gear train including a rack attached to said actuating rod for rotating said toggle joint upon an axial movement of said actuating rod under the force of said spring, a cocking mechanism including a cocking member for releasably restraining said spring under compression, and a fluid pressuure sensitive diaphragm operative upon said cocking mechanism to actuate said cocking member to release said spring to enforce an axial movement of said actuating rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,329 Graham et a1 June 3, 1902 2,120,248 Hinchman June 14, 1938 2,123,446 Veenstra July 12, 1938 2,513,347 Myers July 4, 1950 2,684,784 Fox July 27, 1954 2,707,605 Sieverts May 3, 1955 2,722,342 Fox Nov. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 258,681 Italy May 25, 1928 710,196 Great Britain June 9, 1954 782,331 France Mar. 11, 1935 

